Wednesday, January 22, 2014

A Day at A & E!

I was joined by a group of 4 ladies from Mobile who offered to take me shopping and antiquing for my birthday ---

Today is a day “off” because the retreat I’m teaching at for the Azalea City Quilt Guild doesn’t start until tomorrow…

Let’s see….fabric shopping? Antiquing? NO BRAINER! YES!

We headed out, driving past downtown Mobile, crossing the bay, and pointing ourselves East to Pensacola and pulled up in front of A & E pharmacy about an hour later.

THIS was a QUILT STORE!?

Where is the fabric?

It looks like an ordinary every day drug store to me!

I see laxatives, but I don’t see fabric!

Maybe through here? But wait…it says appliances!

Refrigerators and mardi gras beads?

Stove tops and MORE mardi gras paraphenalia!

WHERE IS THE FABRIC?!?

If there is a shortage of mardi gras beads anywhere…they’ve been hoarded in Pensacola!

But If I go to the OTHER side….FABRIC!! Whoowhooo!

Miles and miles of fabric!

Aisles of fabric ---

Walls of fabric!

More and more and more fabric!

I can honestly say that I have never seen any place as original as A & E Pharmacy in Pensacola, Florida.

You can pick up your prescription, buy your shampoo and tooth paste, order a new fridge and cook top, pack your trunk full of mardi gras beads, and buy all the quilt fabric and craft supplies your heart desires…all in one place!

Oh, and I found one of those accordion folding aluminum credit card wallets to keep my cards safe from card readers who are supposedly out to steal our numbers unbeknownst to us. ON SALE! Is this a gimmick? Does it work? Is this really a threat? I didn’t care, it was pink and cute and on sale and I was in the mood to spend.

Am I coming home with fabrics? YEP! I bought myself a nice array of neutral fat quarters to add to the stash.

Which brings me to another old post I haven’t mentioned in a while. I posted it on Facebook yesterday at the bequest of another quilter, and I can direct you to it again…she was asking about NEUTRALS and what I like to use and how I discern what is what. Find the answer HERE!

There was some antiquing excitement too, but I’m saving that for tomorrow’s post as it’s feet up in the recliner time after a long day out and about!

22 comments:

I am so glad that you were able to go to A&E. It really is an experience since one would not believe what is on the inside by the outside! I'm working on my 8th BH quilt and love all of them. Thank you for being you and everything you do to help all of us become better quilters!

LOL Bonnie! As a former resident of Pensacola, I can't tell you how many hours and dollars I've invested at A&E! I still try to make it over for frequent visits even though I now live in New Orleans. Glad to hear you were treated to one of the most fun places on the Gu'f Coast!

Oh, I love Pensacola. Lived there back in the 80s for a few years while my husband was in flight school (and have visited a few times since). I can't believe this store. Pretty much has all the essentials you'd ever need! You scored!

I love A&E - I am glad that they took you there for your birthday. I was just there last week picking up some fabric to finish a quilt - it is always fun. Sometimes the sales are unbelievable. Hope you had a great birthday.

Isn't A & E a quilter's paradise? Pensacola is my hometown! We moved away in '87 and got to come home in '03 when we retired! I spend a lot of time and money in A & E! So glad you got to check it out. Guess a pharmacy is a good place for a fabric store - it's my drug of choice! LOL

Wow! What an awesome place! A great surprise! Happy birthday Bonnie! I know that was the best present you've had in awhile! An awesome surprise of fabric and antiquing! Well, that's my idea of an awesome birthday anyway! Lol

I used to live not far from this place and never knew it was there. It's a good thing I wasn't into quilting at the time, or else I'd have really been miserable because I was broker than broke at that point in my life. I've been here once, and since my parents live in P'cola and I visit there annually, I intend on returning there, you can bet your boots! From Gina in Texas

When you're in Kentucky, you need to check out Paul's in Somerset. Click on the crafts tab and take a gander. My sister and I went and we didn't have but a couple of hours - you need a whole lot more!! We're planning a trip back next time she comes from South Carolina for a visit. http://www.paulsdiscount.com/

That place looks similar to the Ace Hardware in St. George, Utah. You walk in the main door and see all the gardening and hardware items, then you go up some stairs on the far right of the store and there's the fabric department.